West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-08-26
HARPER's FERRY LETTER.
HARpER's FERRY, August %.


ton of privilege, or it may be the
proper thing for us to say that we
rise to a personal explanation. You
can have your choice of the phrases
if you will only sympathize with our
establishment, last Tuesday morning,
at being confronted by one OF the
most respectable gentlemen of this
State and being asked if we had not
been abusing him and another
through the medium of the Charles
town press. We are not specially
nervous, but we must confess that,
on the occasion, you could have
knocked us down with the poker, as
the Irishman said, so utterly con-
founded were we by this unexpected
and certainly undeserved accusation.
We very positively denied the JUS
tice of the impeachment, and we Of
fered to accompany the gentleman
to Charlestown to examine the files
at your office, but he very kindly
consented to accept our disclaimer
and to believe that the party on
whose authority the charge was
made must have been mistaken. We
are glad that He is satisfied, and
sorry that WE cannot say quite so
much for ourselves. We are con-
WINGED that there is an African OF
huge dimensions somewhere in the
fence-corner, and as we are not much
for treasons, stratagems or bloils,
we have concluded to appeal openly
for our vindication to the many
readers of the DEMOCRAT. This is
the twelfth of the series of letters
contributed by us to your paper
the only one we write for-and, If
any one has discovered in any OF
these communications single word
that the thinnest-skinned man could
take to himself or torture into per-
sonal affront, we desire TO be in
formed of the fact so that we may
make the amplest apology for an in
jury which was certainly uninten-
tional. We write merely for the fun
of the thing, and our object is to
make people laugh good-naturedly
WITH or AT ourselves as they choose
we being entirely easy as to their
choice. In our manhood's prime we
were not aggressive or ill-condition-
ed in manner, and it is hardly prob
able that we would NOW seek q quar-
rel when the few locks left to us by
envious time and that flask we used
to carry in our hat have blossomed
for the grave. Troubles never come
alone and, on the same day, were
censured by another party for AFRO
eating to ourselves that "we" so
generally admitted to belong almost
exclusively to editors. The only
excuse which we can offer for this
usurpation is that in view of our no.
tOrious sINGULARITY we would hardly
be in character if we did not affect
the PLURAL in speaking of ourselves.
A few days ago we had here an
exhibition Of rare presence of mind
especially remarkable when we
consider the tender years of the
hero. William, the twelve year old
son of General Mussey, spending
the summer at this place with his
family, was swimming with other
boys in q part of the Potomac known
as "The Dead Sea" One of his
companions-considerably older. by
the way, than young Mussey-was
taken with cramps, or for some other
reason was in danger of being
drowned, when William went to his
assistance, as might be expected, was
clamped with the deadly grippe of
the poor boy who was struggling for
life. Our hero was equal to the oc-
casiOn, for with well directed blow
of his brawny fist on the os fronts
he stunned his friend and before the
latter could recover from the effects
of the stroke he was dragged trium-
plainly to dry land by the generous
and self-sacrifcing, but intensely
practical Billy. We venture to pre-
diet that Master Bill will turn out
to be valuable friend or q formida-
BILE antagonist as you happen TO take
him and the occasion requires. He
is certainly noble boy, and we want
to live long enough to vote for him
for the Presidency. The grateful
mother of the rescued boy presented
Billy with q nice watch, and we
hope that every revolution of the
hands will bring our young hero adj
ditional happiness and prosperity.
We regret to learn that Mr.. John
Rockenbaugh of Halltown, for some
time in the service of the B. d o. r.
r. Co, met with very serious accl-
dent one day last week while in the
performance of his duties somewhere
near Weverton. We have not learned
the full particulars, but it is certain
that he was struck by an express
train at full speed, and that he re-
ceived injuries supposed at first to
be necessarily fatal. He is in charge
Of DIR. b. b. Ransom, and at the last
account had improved so much that
his friends now entertain strong
hopes of his recovery. We have no
acquaintance with Mr.. Rocken-
baugh, but he is said to be an excel
lent Young man, and we know that
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